BRAVING THE DARK RECESSES OF THE INTERNET SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO

MJ: The Most Important Person in Every Room

2014/02/14

Although quite dated by now, I only came by this article recently. I found it fascinating. And almost equally tragic.

When you type “Michael” into Wikipedia, the first three suggested entries that pop up, in order, are Michael Jackson, Michael (archangel), and Michael Jordan. It seems almost insulting to Jordan, who is used to being first, best, greatest, most revered, most famous, most emulated, most beloved. If you’re about my age, you grew up watching this man do almost impossible things on the basketball court. I don’t even like basketball. But growing up, I rabidly followed the Bulls. It was more than watching a great player, or a great exhibition of sport. It felt like witnessing two teams trying to play while a Ferrari screeched figure-eights on the court with them. Jordan was completely, utterly, wonderfully disruptive.

Everyone wanted to Be Like Mike. But what that degree of fame did to the man is unspeakably sad. The very saddest part being that MJ seems not to realize the extent of the damage.

Exit factoid: Jordan’s codename given by his security detail? Y@HW3H. That’s the name of God in Hebrew, if you don’t keep up with such things. Yeah.